Washing machine for animal cages and the like



Nov. 12, 1963 s. us'r ETAL 3,110,317

' WASHING MACHINE FOR ANIMAL CAGES AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 25, 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Nov. 12, 1963 F. s. FAUST ETAL 3,110,317

WASHING MACHINE FOR ANIMAL CAGES AND THE LIKE Ongmal Filed May 25, 1959 2 sheetspsheet 2 INVENTORS d 37v amdfif' mwz.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,110,317 WASHING MACHINE FDR ANHMAL CAGES AND Tim LZKE Francis S. Faust, Buffalo, and Ernest R. Edmnnds, Tonawanda, N .Y., assignors to R. G. Wright Company, 1112.,

lfuffalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,548, new

Patent No. 3,010,461, dated Nov. 28, 1961. Divided and this application Oct. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 144,964

7 Claims. (Cl. 134174) This invention relates to a Washing machine and more particularly .to a machine for simultaneously washing two parts of articles to be washed, such as animal cages and the removable sawdust containing pans placed at the bottom of such cages. The invention is not, of course, restricted to washing any particular articles and can be used wherever its advantageous features are applicable.

This application is a division of our copending application of the same title, Serial No. 815,548, filed May 25, 1959, now Patent No. 3,010,461.

The invention is illustrated in conjunction with the washing of conventional oblong or rectangular open-mesh metal animal cages, particularly for animals used for test and research work in hospitals and laboratories, and in the bottoms of which pans filled with sawdust are placed.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a washer which will not only thoroughly wash and sanitize the animal cages themselves, but which will also simultaneously thoroughly wash and sanitize the pans for such cages.

Another object is to provide such a washer which is compact and at the same time can be used for washing large quantities of animal cages and pans and in particular can be designed in the form of a tunnel washer in which the cages are introduced at one end and removed from the opposite end.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washer in which sprays are used and in which the spray pattern can be designed for maximum eiiect-iveness, that is, with substantially all of the sprays being directed against the articles being washed at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a washer which is particularly adapted for use with high pressure sprays so that washing is effected not only through the detergent action of the solution used but also through the impact of the high pressure sprays.

Another important object is to provide such a Washer which can be set up on the floor of the laboratory or its washroom, and the cages readily rolled into the washer and its washing zone. This'is accomplished by the elimination of the usual deep sump in which the washing solution is usually stored for recirculation. Such deep sumps, in order to permit readily wheeling of the articles to be washed into the washer, were required to be set into the floor. With an existing building, this not infrequently required redesigning and replacement of main girders as well as tearing out concrete and masonry.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a washer which is low in cost and simple to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a high pressure pump for recirculating the spray solution through the high pressure sprays and which pump is under a than? Patented Nov. 12, less substantial head of spray solution so as to operate with maximum efliciency.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

'FIG. 1 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of a washer for animal cages embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is aside elevational view thereof, with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken generally on line 3-3, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken generally on line 4-4, FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the hook and latch means for securing the bottom pans to the side walls of the washer.

While the invention is not limited to any particular use and can be employed wherever these features are of advantage, the washer of the present invention was particularly designed for washing screened oblong or rectangular animal cages indicated generally at 10'. These animal cages usually comprise a rectangular cubical frame 11 providing openings on :all four vertical sides over which metal screens 12 of suitably sized mesh are secured and an open top over which a similar screen 13 is secured. The vertical corner members of each cage project downwardly to form four legs '14 and these legs severally carry horizontal inwardly projecting lugs 15 adapted to support the rim of a pan 16 which can be slid under the cage to be supported on these lugs. (Ihese pans are made of metal and usually contain sawdust and these pans are shown as being of rectangular form with vertical side and end walls.

Certain of [these cages can be provided with casters 17 severally secured to their corner legs 14. This permits cages to be stacked on a cage with casters to provide a stack of cages that can be rolled into the washing machine.

The washer of the present invention is contained within a large rectangular casing having a vertical rectangular front wall 18, a similar rear wall 19, vertical rectangular side walls 20, 21 and a top wall or roof 22. In addition, the casing is shown as having a horizontal rectangular bottom wall 23. An access door 24 is shown as mounted in the front wall 18, the sill 25 of this door being arranged a few inches above floor level for a purpose hereinafter described and this door being of any suitable construction to permit a stack of cages 10 supported by the casters 17 to be rolled up a ramp 26 over the sill 25 of the door. In horizontal alinement with this sill 25, the casing is provided with a generally horizontal slightly elevated floor panel 28 which supports the stack of cages 1%. Below this floor panel the casing is provided with an inclined bottom panel 29 which is shown as inclining downwardly from the side wall 20 and connected at its opposite ends to the trout and rear walls 18, 19 so as to provide a drain surface for collecting substantially all the spent spraysolution. The lower edge of this drain panel 29 is continued-to form a downwardly projecting wall 3% which is secured to the bottom panel 23 and front and rear panels 18 and 19 to provide a side channel, gutter or drain trough 31 along the bottom of the side panel 21 The cages and pans are washed and sanitized with a cleaning solution which is recirculated by a pump system preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral 35 represents a low pressure pump mounted in a receiver 36 which is in the form of an external box-like extension of the bottom of the side wall 2 1 and forms a continuation of the side channel or trough 31 so that the cleaning solution from side channel or trough 31 drains into the receiver 36. This pump 35 is suspended from the top of the box-like receiver on which is mounted the electric motor 39 driving the pump, the pump 35 discharging through an outlet line 40 into the bottom of a side solution storage tank 41 mounted on the side wall 21 of the casing. An overflow dam or weir 42. can be provided within the box-like receiver 36, the space beyond this darn or weir being shown as provided with an overfiow 43. This receiver is, of course, ofmuch smaller area than the area of the washing zone.

The side tank 41 is designed to take the place of the usual storage sump conventionally used in washers of this type and to this end the storage tank 41 is of such capacity as to contain the full charge of solution forthe washing machine. It will particularly be noted that the bottom of the tank 41 'is elevated well above floor level and well above the receiver 36 and that the low pressure pump 35 and its motor 39 are arranged directly below and in vertical ialinernent with the bottom of this storage tank. It will also be noted that this storage tank extends the full horizontal length of the side wall 21 and is of substantial height and width so that it contains a full charge of the spray solutionbeing circulated.

The numeral 45 represents a high pressure pump positioned directly below and in vertical alinement with the bottom of the tank 41 and alongside the pump motor 39. This high pressure pump is driven by an electric motor 46 and the inlet 48 of this pump connects with the bottom of the elevated supply tank 41 so that the high pressure pump 45 is under a constant head of liquid. The outlet pipe 49 from the high pressure pump 4-5 extends through the side wall 21 to the interior of the tank and there connects with a flexible hose 50' which supplies the washing solution to the spray tree which is preferably constructed as follows:

The spray tree, indicated generally at 51, includes an upper central horizontal pipe 52 to the side of which the flexible conduitStl connects and which extends parallel with the side Walls 20, 21 and is arranged close to the top or roof 22 of the casing. This overhead central horizontal pipe 52 has a plurality of downwardly directed high pressure nozzles 54 at its underside and which direct high pressure sprays -55 downwardly on top of the stack of animal cages It A pair of branch pipes 56 extend horizontally from each end of the central overhead pipe 52 and each contains a plurality of downwardly directed high pressure nozzles 58 which also direct high pressure sprays 55 of solution downwardly on the stack of animal cages 19. The outward end of each branch pipe 56 is continued in a downwardly extending vertical corner pipe 59, these corner pipes extending downwardly close to the floor 28 on which the stack'of animal cages are supported and each of these vertical corner pipes carries a plurality of nozzles 60 which are directed horizontally toward the sidesof the animal cages it} embraced by the four depending vertical corner pipes 59 of the spray tree. The nozzles 60 also direct high pressure sprays 55 of washing solution against the opposite sides of the stack of animal cages 10. V 7 To render the high pressure sprays '55 efiective against the entire top and side area of the animal cages as well as against the front and rear sides thereof, the entire spray tree 51 is reciprocated lengthwise of theside walls 20, 21 so that these sprays are successively presented to different .areas of the stack of cages 1% as well as against the end walls thereof. For this purpose a pair of overhead tracks 65 are mounted against the underside of the roof or top wall 22 of the casing to extend. parallel with the side walls 26 and 21. These rails are shown as arranged in equally spaced relation to the longitudinal center line of the casing and each has a bottom horizontal flange which supports rollers 66. These rollers are rotatably secured to the upper ends of ears 68 which are fixed to and project upwardly from the outboard ends of the four overhead horizontal branch pipes 56 of the spray tree. It will accordingly be seen that the entire spray tree 51 is supported from the pair of overhead tracks 65 by these rollers 66 and that the spray tree is capable of moving fore-andaft within the casing.

Any suitable mechanism can be provided for reciprocating the spray tree 51 along the rails 65, that shown comprising a vertical shaft 70 journalled in and extending through the roof or top wall 22 of the casing. The upper end of this shaft is driven from a small electric motor 72 connected by a belt drive 73 with a speed reducer 74, this speed reducer in turn being connected by a chain 75 with a pinion fixed to the upper end of the shaft 70*. Within the casing, the shaft 70 carries a crank arm 76. The outer end of this crank arm is connected by a link 78 with the central horizontal overhead pipe 52 of the spray tree. The length of the crank 76 and the link 78 are, of course, proportioned to bring the sprays 55 directly against the side and top are-as of the strack of cages 10 and preferably these sprays pass beyond the stack of cages so as to effect washing of the front and rear walls thereof as well. For this purpose the spray nozzles 60, as well as the spray nozzles 58, are angularly disposed so as to spray angularly toward the front and rear walls of the stack of cages as these nozzles pass beyond the stack of cages in the reciprocation of the spray tree.

An important feature of the invention resides in the of. the cages 10.- For this purpose each of the side Walls 26, 21 is provided with a horizontal series of bottom sup portsfitt and top latches 81 for the pans and which are arranged to support these pans in rows with their interiors facing the stack of cages 10. The supports can be of any suitable form but are shown as being C-shaped wire hold ers having their legs secured to the side walls and having their cross parts angularly disposed and arranged in pairs so that the lower corner of the pans can be placed in a pair of these holders 80 to be supported thereby. The latches 81 can also be of any suitable form to releasably engage the upper rims of the pans and each is shown as being in the form of a simple Z-bar having one end pivotally secured, as indicated at 82, to the side wall and as having its offset free end 83 swingable to a position embracing the rim of the pan 16. The pans for the stack of cages are mounted on these holders 80 and latches 81 in two horizontal rows on the opposite side walls-of the casing and these pans are acted upon by horizontal high pressure sprays 84- from nozzles 85, the nozzles 85 being arranged in a vertical series on each of the vertical corner pipes 59 and being arranged to spray outwardly toward the adjacent side wall 29 or 21 and hence against the pans 15 mounted on these side walls. It will particularly be noted that the pans are rectangular form and that the spray nozzles 85 are arranged to produce a rectangular pattern corresponding to the rows of pans so that full use is made of the high pressure sprays 84 in cleaning these pans.

In setting up the washer as above described, it is mounted on the floor of the laboratory, or laboratory washroom vw'thout requiring structural alteration of the building. This is because there is no solution storage sump at the bottom of the casing as is usual with washersof this character, the solution being stored in the large elevated side tank 41 and the floor 28 of the casing being arranged close to the floor level of the room in which the washer is set up. Accordingly to wheel the stacks of animal cages 10 into the casing all that is required is the slight ramp 26 to reach the slightly elevated floor 28 within the washing of the pans 16 simultaneously with the Washing casing and no difiiculty has been experienced in rolling the stacks of animal cages 10, on their rollers 17, up this ramp 26, over the sill 25 of the door 24, and onto the floor 28 within the casing. Before so rolling a stack of animal cages into the casing the operator first empties the sawdust from their bottom pans 16 and mounts these pans on the side walls 20, 21 of the casing. The lower corners of each pan is slipped down into and held by the C-shaped angular holders 80. The operator then swings each Z-bar 31 about its pivot 82 so that its outboard end 83 embraces and holds the pan 16 against the side wall. The pans are mounted so that their insides face toward the center of the casing.

After the casing has so been loaded with animal cages 10 and their pans 16, the operator closes the door 24 and starts the motors 39, 46 and 72. Energizing the motor 46 drives the high pressure pump 45. Accordingly this pump withdraws solution from the bottom of overhead tank 41 through its inlet 46 and discharges it through its outlet 49 and flexible conduit 5% into the side of the central overhead horizontal pipe 52 of the spray tree 51. The nozzles 54 carried by this horizontal central pipe discharge high pressure sprays 55 downwardly against the top of the stack of animal cages 10. Spray water is also delivered to the horizontal overhead branch pipes 56 of the spray tree and the nozzles 58 of these branches likewise discharge high pressure sprays downwardly against the tops of the stack of animal cages 10. The spray solution is delivered from the ends of these branch pipes to the vertical depending corner pipes 59 and the nozzles 69 of these corner pipes likewise deliver high pressure sprays 55 of solution to impinge against the sides of the stack. The solution from the vertical corner pipes 59 is also delivered to its nozzles '85 which discharge high pressure sprays 84- of spray solution against the insides of the rows of bottom pans 1-6 mounted on the side walls 20, 21 of the casing so as to wash and sanitize these pans.

The spray water settles downwardly to the inclined bottom drain panel 29 which delivers it through the side trough or sump 31 to the box-like receiver 36. This spray water enters the inlet of the low pressure pump 35 which is now driven by the energized motor 39. The outlet 4%) from the low pressure pump 35 delivers the solution back to the tank 41.

It will particularly be noted that the bottom storage sump is completely avoided, the low pressure pump 39 immediately removing all solution from the side channel 31 at the bottom of the casing and delivering it to the tank 4-1 which serves to store a full charge of the solution. It will also be noted that the head of liquid in this storage tank is impressed against the high pressure pump 45 so as to insure its operation at good efficiency. it will also be noted that both of the pumps and their motors are contained in the space directly under the outboard storage tank 41 and that all of these parts are fully accessible from the exterior.

While the spray tree is so delivering spray water, it is reciprocated back and forth, the energized motor 72 driving the vertical shaft 7% which extends through the top wall 22 of the casing and rotates the crank arm 76. Through the link 78 this reciprocates the entire spray tree 51 along the ovenhead rails 65 from which it is sup ported by means of the rollers 66.

From the above it will be seen that the present inventicn provides a very simple and efiective washer for simuitaneoulsy washing the bottom pans 16 along with the cages it); that these bottom pans can be quickly mounted in the washer; that the stack of cages can easily be wheeled up the slight ramp 2.6 into the casing; that the spray pattern is set as to effectively impinge the high pressure sprays against all parts of both the cages and the pans; that the entire washer can be set up on the floor of the laboratory or its washroom without alteration of the building; and that the high pressure pump 45 is under a substantial head of liquid from the elevated tank 41 at all times.

What is claimed is:

'1. A washer of the character described for washing two parts of articles to be washed comprising a casing having a floor, spaced side walls, and a roof, means rollably supporting a first group of one type of said parts on said floor in the center of said casing for movement generally parallel with said side walls into and out of said casing, latches fixed to said wall in position to support a second group of the other type of said parts in horizontal rows along said side walls facing said first group, an overhead track adjacent said roof and extending generally parallel with said side walls, rollers travers ing said track, a spray tree supported by said rollers and having horizontal pipes arranged adjacent said ceiling and arranged over said first group, downwardly directed nozzles on said horizontal pipes for directing sprays of washing solution downwardly on said first group, and said spray tree also having vertical pipes extending downwardly between said groups, a series of nozzles on each of said vertical pipes and arranged to spray washing solution horizontally against said first group, a second series of nozzles on said vertical pipes and arranged to direct sprays of washing solution horizontally against said second group, means moving said spray tree along said track, and means supplying washing solution under pressure to said spray tree.

2. A washer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means moving said spray tree along said track comprises a motor-driven crank mounted on said roof.

3. A washer of the character described for washing two mating parts of articles to be washed, comprising means providing an enclosure having an unobstructed central portion and also a stationary structure along one side of said unobstructed central portion, means removably supporting a group of one type of said parts on said stationary structure to face said unobstructed central portion, carrier means supporting a group of the other type of said parts for movement into and out of said unobstructed space into spaced relation with said parts supported on said stationary structure, a spray tree having parts arranged in the space between said groups with one series of nozzles directed toward said parts on said stationary structure and another series of nozzles directed toward said parts on said carrier means, means for moving said spray tree to bring said nozzles into progressively different relation to said parts of each group, and means supplying washing solution under pressure to said spuay tree.

4. A washer as set forth in claim 3 wherein said stationary structure is a vertical structure along one vertical side of said unobstructed central portion; wherein said carrier means supports said group of the other type of parts for horizontal movement into and out of said unobstructed space; and wherein said spray tree moving means moves said spray tree horizontally.

5. A washer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spray tree moving means reciprocates said spray tree back and forth.

6. A washer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means providing an enclosure has a floor and said carrier means includes rollers supported on said floor; wherein said means providing an enclosure includes an overhead structure above said unobstructed space; and wherein said spray tree is supported from said overhead structure.

7. A Washer of the character described for washing two parts of articles to be washed, comprising a casing having a floor and a roof providing a central unobstructed space, means movably supporting a first group of one type of said parts on said floor for movement into and out of said unobstructed space, latch means fixed alongside said unobstructed space in position to support a second group of the other type of parts alongside andin face-to-face relation with said first group, overhead conveyer means adjacent said roof and extending generally first group, and said spray tree also having vertical pipes extending downwardly between said groups, a series of nozzles on each of said vertical pipes and arranged to spray washing solution horizontally against said first group, a second series of nozzles on said vertical pipes and arranged to direct sprays of washing solution against said second group, means moving said spray tree along said overhead conveyor means, and means supplying washing solution under pressure to said spray tree.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 883,132 Gofi Mar. 24, 1908 2,619,099 Young Nov. 25, 1952 2,676,600 Vani Apr. 27, 1954 2,740,416 Halsey Apr. 3, 1956 2,937,063 Kahn May 17. 1 

3. A WASHER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED FOR WASHING TWO MATING PARTS OF ARTICLES TO BE WASHED, COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING AN ENCLOSURE HAVING AN UNOBSTRUCTED CENTRAL PORTION AND ALSO A STATIONARY STRUCTURE ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID UNOBSTRUCTED CENTRAL PORTION, MEANS REMOVABLY SUPPORTING A GROUP OF ONE TYPE OF SAID PARTS ON SAID STATIONARY STRUCTURE TO FACE SAID UNOBSTRUCTED CENTRAL PORTION, CARRIER MEANS SUPPORTING A GROUP OF THE OTHER TYPE OF SAID PARTS FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SAID UNOBSTRUCTED SPACE INTO SPACED RELATION WITH SAID PARTS SUPPORTED ON SAID STATIONARY STRUCTURE, A SPRAY TREE HAVING PARTS ARRANGED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID GROUPS WITH ONE SERIES OF NOZZLES DIRECTED TOWARD SAID PARTS ON SAID STATIONARY STRUCTURE AND ANOTHER SERIES OF NOZZLES DIRECTED TOWARD SAID PARTS ON SAID CARRIER MEANS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SPRAY TREE TO BRING SAID NOZZLES INTO PROGRESSIVELY DIFFERENT RELATION TO SAID PARTS OF EACH GROUP, AND MEANS SUPPLYING WASHING SOLUTION UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID SPRAY TREE. 